By Kim J. Harmon

MONROE – For about five minutes the game was theirs for the taking. They just couldn’t take it.

The Newtown High School boys’ basketball team struggled for 24 minutes just to stay within striking distance of a very hot shooting Stratford High School team in the semi-finals of the South-West Conference basketball tournament. And when Ryan Tracy hooked up with Tom Ryan on a nifty give-and-go early in the fourth quarter, the Nighthawks finally tied the score – with the count at 48-48.

For the next five minutes, the opportunities for the Nighthawks to take control of the game were there. But while they stymied Stratford on one end of the floor, they were equally as stymied on the other end of the floor.

And the Red Devils earned the trip to the SWC finals with a 60-54 win.

“It wasn’t for a lack of heart that we couldn’t catch them,” said a dejected coach John Quinn. “But Stratford played beautifully – you have to give them credit.”

The ‘Hawks started the game very poorly, despite a three-pointer from Mike Troy (23 points) that put them on top 3-2. Not only did the Red Devils take Andrew Fiscella out of the game (a key point in their game plan), they hit a trio of three-pointers – the last with just two seconds left in the period – to take a 17-7 lead.

After Troy opened the second period with his second three-pointer of the game, the Red Devils used a couple more three-pointers of their own to head off on an 8-1 run to take a 25-11 lead.

“It was so atypical of these kids,” said coach Quinn. “We’re used to making good shots and making good decisions. And we played on the perimeter, instead of attacking. We just didn’t play Newtown basketball.”

The Red Devils’ fifth three-pointer might have put them up 25-11, but it seemed to provide the ‘Hawks with the momentum. Marcus Tracy canned a pair of free throws and the ‘Hawks – getting a great spark off the bench from Ronnie Shimko (two free throws and a couple of fine defensive plays) – were off on a 15-4 run that brought them to within three points.

The Red Devils chilled the hot streak, though, with a three-pointer from the corner with two seconds left in the half.

At the start of the third period, Ryan hit a basket in the low post to trim the Stratford lead to four, but the Red Devils kept some distance between themselves and the Nighthawks and were up 44-33 before the ‘Hawks made another rally.

It started with a three-pointer from Fiscella (15 points on the night). Then Fiscella hit on a drive to the basket and Troy canned a pair of three-pointers to bring the ‘Hawks to within two, 48-46, at the close of the third period.

The give-and-go between Tracy and Ryan early in the fourth tied the score at 48-48. But for the next five minutes the scoreboard did not change – not until the Red Devils popped in a basket with 2:14 left.

It proved to be the winning basket. An acrobatic runner by Troy and a three-pointer from Shimko were the only field goals the ‘Hawks could muster for the remainder of the period as the Red Devils – and the game – slipped away.

It was an unfortunate outcome, considering how well #6 Newtown played in defeating #3 Notre Dame, 60-50, in the SWC quarterfinals last Saturday at Bunnell High School in Stratford. The ‘Hawks took an early lead and kept the Lancers frustrated and at bay for 32 minutes.

The dynamic duo of Fiscella and Troy combined for 40 points and three three-pointers. The ‘Hawks took a 14-9 lead at the end of one period and a 31-20 lead at the end of the first half.

The Lancers rallied in the third and trimmed the lead to just six, 41-35. But the ‘Hawks – with Dave Anderson, Troy, and Fiscella all banging baskets – kept the Lancers from getting any closer in the fourth quarter. Fiscella finished the game by hitting two free throws in a four-shot sequence that results from a flagrant foul.

At 16-6, the ‘Hawks will now move on to the CIAC Class L state tournament.

NOTE: In the Newtown-Stratford game, there were 15 three-pointers with the Nighthawks canning eight and the Red Devils canning seven.

Newtown                                60

Notre Dame           50

 

NEWTOWN (60): Fiscella 7 5-8 21, Larocque 0 0-0 0, Troy 5 8-16 19, M. Tracy 2 4-5 8, Ryan 2 0-1 4, Anderson 3 2-3 8, R. Tracy 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19 19-33 60.

NOTRE DAME (50): Smith 3 2-3 8, Newton 3 2-2 8, Masiello 1 0-0 3, Hainsworth 1 0-0 2, McClowry 4 3-4 11, Brown 7 2-2 18, Hoffler 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19 9-11 50.

Three-pointers: Fiscella (N) 2, Troy (N), Brown (ND) 2, Masiello (ND).

Stratford                 60

Newtown                                54

 

STRATFORD (60): Powell 6 6-9 18, Tenn 0 0-0 0m Drish 0 0-0 0, Little 1 1-2 3, Cornerford 4 1-2 11, Singletary 2 0-0 4, Gill 3 5-6 14, Conder 0 0-0 0, Small 3 2-4 10. Totals: 19 15-23 60.

NEWTOWN (54): Fiscella 4 5-10 15, Manfredonia 0 0-0 0, Troy 7 5-6 23, M. Tracy 0 4-4 4, Shimko 1 2-2 5, Quinn 0 0-0 0, Ryan 1 0-0 2, Anderson 1 0-0 3, R. Tracy 1 0-0 2. Totals: 15 16-22 54.

Three-pointers: Troy (N) 4, Fiscella (N) 2, Anderson (N), Shimko (N), Gill (S) 3, Small (S) 2, Cornerford (S).